A pound a penny

Christmas has come and gone and with it another year!

It is hard to believe that we are now looking down the barrel of 2012 - the year of the apocalypse apparently... so we had better make it a goodie!  I don't know about you but I have had a fabulous Christmas and New Year. Both days were full of good conversation, food, wine and of course the traditional (and often slightly drunken) resolutions.

For me, I asked myself and the lucky family members who were seated near me for Christmas and/or New Years, three simple questions:

1. High of 2011

2. Low of 2011

3. Goal for 2012

I won't burden you with the highs and lows of 2011 but with such an exciting and nerve racking year ahead of me, I was eager to tell anyone who would listen, my goals and plans for 2012. I mean, they sure beat my normal annual goals (lose weight, meet the love of my life, stop drinking so much, pay off my credit card)... No- not this time. My goals are all to do with visiting as many countries as I can, to find the best espresso in Europe, to trace  my Irish heritage (turns out I have relatives in Waterford)  and ..well.. I suppose the other goals wouldn't go totally amiss.

Anyway- what does all this have to do with my travels you ask? Well not a heck of a lot except for some particularly exciting gifts that I received that truly got me revved up about my trip! I mean I am literally eight weeks out now!!!!

Oh and I realise that I have not finished my promised list on how to get a UK visa, but never fear- it is on route. In fact when I arrived home from my summer break, I had a courier post 'card to call' waiting for me, which means that my UK visa has arrived (hopefully.) Once I have actually clarified that my visa is good to go, I will absolutely ensure that I write out a full comprehensive list on how to go about getting this monstrous visa sorted.

Nevertheless, back to my gifts!

  My first pound(s) from my dear old dad   A bag weighing device from my sister (which will certainly come in handy)   A much needed guide to London from my brother 

 

A cute luggage tag from my mum





Happy all round!



Now, one gift that I received probably deserves its own blog entry... Emma- you know what I am talking about. As soon as my camera is charged, I will post a photo. Readers- be prepared for what is coming, as this was no ordinary gift....